Auto-owners vs. Hallmark Financial: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Auto-owners offers cheaper prices than Hallmark Financial
• Auto-owners offers more affordable premiums for residents of urban areas
• Hallmark Financial offers more affordable prices for residents in Arkansas, Nevada, and Oklahoma

Auto-owners vs. Hallmark Financial: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering big discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might be considering Auto-owners or Hallmark Financial as your top options, but which carrier will save you the most?

As you can see, Hallmark Financial is about $32 more per month than Auto-owners when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

That being said, Auto-owners may not be the cheapest or best option for each driver out there. Auto insurance companies vary their premiums depending on things like how old you are, how clean your driving record is, where you live, how good your credit score is, and tons of other factors, so rates will differ quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Auto-owners or Hallmark Financial is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each carrier broken down by multiple different rate factors.

Auto-owners or Hallmark Financial: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Auto-owners and Hallmark Financial only compete against each other in one states, with Hallmark Financial offering less expensive premiums to the average driver in all of them. Arkansas has the most noticable difference, where Hallmark Financial rates are over 15% more affordable than car insurance premiums at Auto-owners.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance bill than just your home state. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. The reason is that young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of $85 less a month by choosing Auto-owners over Hallmark Financial. It's worth noting that Auto-owners offers insurance in 23 different states compared to Hallmark Financial's three, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, with both carriers, you'll see your rates drop significantly by the time you turn 25. Hallmark Financial offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, Auto-owners still has the most affordable prices at $164 per month.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to auto insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the lowest premiums you'll ever see.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Auto-owners and Hallmark Financial? Auto-owners gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at around $133 a month compared to Hallmark Financial's $154.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance premiums are typically cheaper for married drivers than they are for single policyholders? This usually boils down to married policyholders having multiple cars on their policy -- something many auto insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Auto-owners is the clear winner for those who are single, with rates about $44 per month less expensive than Hallmark Financial, on average. It's not quite so glaring for married couples, where drivers who use Auto-owners save nearly 10% a month.

Auto-owners vs. Hallmark Financial: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents. That means when it comes to car insurance men will normally end up paying a little more.

On average, women see premiums more than $10 per month more affordable with Auto-owners, and around $20 less with Hallmark Financial.

When it comes to the cheapest prices for each gender, Auto-owners comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $27 a month and men save about $36 with Auto-owners compared to the average Hallmark Financial policyholder.

Auto-owners or Hallmark Financial: Compare State Minimum vs. Full Coverage Rates

*State minimum value indicates liability-only policies at each state's minimum bodily injury and property damage (BI/PD) limits

**Full coverage indicates state minimum BI/PD limits with collision and comprehensive coverages added to policy.

It's no secret that insurance can be pretty complicated. There are lots of different coverages that account for a variety of different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

But most policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, Auto-owners usually offers cheaper rates of $99 compared to Hallmark Financial's $115. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Auto-owners again has the edge, with policies around $45 per month more affordable than Hallmark Financial, on average.

Is Auto-owners or Hallmark Financial Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto insurance carriers offering great premiums for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

You'll probably end up paying more with tickets and accidents on your record, but which of these two companies offers the most affordable prices to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Auto-owners policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $44 a month if they get a ticket, while Hallmark Financial normally raises rates about $14 per month, on average.

However, Auto-owners is usually the less expensive option for drivers both with a speeding ticket and with a clean record, offering prices that are $73 and $43 cheaper, respectively, compared to Hallmark Financial.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will increase rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Auto-owners increasing by over $45. Hallmark Financial has a less extreme raise, but you can still expect to pay $35 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, the more affordable prices come from Auto-owners, with monthly premiums averaging $168 compared to Hallmark Financial's $229.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge, you can expect some pretty significant increases in your monthly car insurance bill -- typically a lot more than an accident or ticket. Auto-owners drivers usually see a 54% increase in their auto insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Hallmark Financial will generally climb premiums by around 8%.

Hallmark Financial has the overall lowest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $212 monthly, but it's worth noting that Auto-owners's average rates come from 23 states compared to just three for Hallmark Financial, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Auto-owners and Hallmark Financial Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the factors to calculate your monthly car insurance prices. This isn't always the case (Massachusetts, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it will come into play for quite a few drivers.

The reasoning insurance companies use is that policyholders with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper premiums, while those with poor credit will typically be forced to pay more.

So, which company offers the cheapest rates for drivers with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with Auto-owners. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save over 45% compared to Hallmark Financial, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $66 or 34% less expensive each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have less-than-stellar credit, it can be somewhat of a toss-up as far as which company offers you the best premiums. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $33 less with Auto-owners than Hallmark Financial, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving about $58 a month with Hallmark Financial.

Is Auto-owners or Hallmark Financial Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a pretty big impact on your monthly car insurance cost. Generally, those who drive less will end up with more affordable rates since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Hallmark Financial charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for Auto-owners, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles yearly paying around $1 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles each year. Still, Auto-owners is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

Auto-owners vs. Hallmark Financial: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a sizable impact as well. Usually, drivers who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural policyholders because of the number of cars that are on the roads in those areas.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Auto-owners normally comes out as the lowest option for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the most affordable rates from both companies, but Auto-owners comes out on top with average prices about $164 a month. Auto-owners also has less expensive average premiums for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a $20 and $60 per month respective difference when compared to Hallmark Financial drivers in similar areas.

Auto-owners vs. Hallmark Financial Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new auto insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many car insurance discounts as you can.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem hard to find all the of the ones you're eligible for.

Below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Auto-owners and Hallmark Financial so that you can find the company that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Auto-owners blows Hallmark Financial away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 24 different discounts to Hallmark Financial's four.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Auto-owners also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, anti-theft discounts, and more that Hallmark Financial does not.

On the flip side, Hallmark Financial has a unique discount of its own -- a foreign license discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Auto-owners or Hallmark Financial Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your insurance rates. We've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers, too. But, at the end of the day, which company is the best one for you and your specific driver profile?

Auto-owners might be best for you if....

• You're single and purchasing auto insurance by yourself.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" car insurance.
• You're buying auto insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

Hallmark Financial might be best for you if...

• You like the personalized touch of a small, regional carrier.
• You have a DUI charge on your record.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Auto-owners and Hallmark Financial. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your car insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple companies, not just Auto-owners and Hallmark Financial. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Auto-owners vs. Hallmark Financial FAQs

Is Auto-owners or Hallmark Financial cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Auto-owners is the cheaper of the two companies, offering average rates of $179 a month compared to $211 for Hallmark Financial. That being said, Auto-owners won't necessarily be the cheapest company for everyone, since there are a bunch of different factors (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Auto-owners or Hallmark Financial?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No single carrier is necessarily "better" for every driver -- it all comes down to what your unique insurance profile looks like. For example, Auto-owners offers less expensive premiums for policyholders with an at-fault accident on their record, while Hallmark Financial is more affordable for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores.

Why do Auto-owners and Hallmark Financial offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers take a look at several different variables when calculating the rates they charge drivers. Things like gender, your driving record, where you call home, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Auto-owners and Hallmark Financial calculate premiums differently, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different companies.

How do I know if Auto-owners or Hallmark Financial is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from several carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your information once and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance companies in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Auto-owners or Hallmark Financial at all!

Methodology

All of the data referenced in this article has been gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. We analyzed more than 2.5 million rows of carrier-reported data to calculate the average rates referenced above. All rates are based on an insurance profile of a single-vehicle policy for a driver that owns a 2016 Honda Accord. For more information on how we calculate rates, please reference our data methodology.